Kenya Airways pilots call off strike saying some demands met

NAIROBI, April 28 (Reuters) - Kenya Airways pilots
called off a strike on Thursday after the carrier met some of
their demands, the Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA)
said, adding they would fully resume work on Friday.

KALPA's members took the industrial action earlier on
Thursday to push for the removal of the airline's chief
executive, prompting Kenya Airways to cancel all but two of its
evening flights up to 2300 GMT.

Kenya Airways, which is one of the largest carriers in
Africa and ferries 10,000 passengers a day with a fleet of
Boeing and Embraer jets, had already cancelled 10 other flights.

KALPA General Secretary Paul Gichinga said the airline had
made some management changes that met the pilots' minimum
demands, without giving more details.

"We are happy with the information they have given us on the
management changes we demanded but that is not for us to
announce," he told Reuters.

The pilots had taken the action despite an agreement reached
a day earlier to defer the strike until June 1. The strike
lasted from midday until late on Thursday, but for practical
reasons full flights will resume on Friday.

Pilots oppose Chief Executive Mbuvi Ngunze's planned
measures to turn around the loss-making carrier, which is 26.7
percent owned by Air France KLM, and have demanded his
immediate resignation.

The association said they would operate as normal while
talks continue until June 1 over the rest of their demands.

Kenya Airways was not immediately available to comment.

Instead of turning up for work on Thursday, scores of pilots
attended a meeting of the association. The pilots later voted to
go ahead with the strike.

The airline said the strike had gone on even though it had
obtained a court order the previous day barring any industrial
action and the pilots' union agreeing to delay the strike.

KALPA issued a two-day notice to the carrier on Tuesday
saying its members would stop flying planes until Ngunze
resigned over what it called "questionable" turnaround measures.

The airline has been selling assets, including planes, and
plans to lay off 600 people as it tries to stay in operation
after three and a half years of financial losses.

Transport Minister James Macharia and Dennis Awori, chairman
of the airline's board had met with KALPA on Thursday but their
pleas not to ground the airline's fleet were rejected.
(Additional reporting by Humphrey Malalo and George Obulutsa;
Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Alexander Smith)